French grant of Euro 1mn to develop GI for Ceylon Tea

The Ceylon Tea brand will soon be able to affirm its origin in the international market, as a fresh grant has been extended by the French Development Agency (AFD) to develop a Geographical Indication (GI) for the premium product.

A grant agreement of Euro 1 million was signed by the AFD with the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) and French Agricultural Research Centre for Development (CIRAD) earlier this week, a move that would help uphold and authenticate the quality, reputation and characteristics of Ceylon Tea.
The agreement was signed by AFD Country Director Rida Shawd and SLTB Chairman Jayampathi Molligoda. The certification would help link the products under the premium Ceylon Tea brand to the island nation via intellectual property protection, while it will also provide added value for the tea products across the world.
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The Euro 1 million grant by the AFD will be extended over a period of four years, where technical assistance will be offered to establish GI and the relevant systems required for the certification process.

According to the Plantations Industries Ministry, the grant and technical assistance will enable the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CRID) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to support the Tea Board and other stakeholders of
the tea industry.

“Through this process, the Ceylon Tea value chain is expected to become more productive, inclusive and sustainable. Ceylon Tea will have enhanced value-addition in international markets through intellectual property protections and national and international certifications,” the ministry said in a statement to the media.

At present, Ceylon Tea is identified by the ‘Lion Logo’, which exhibits unique qualities with a range of flavours and aroma.

The geographical aspects and conditions of each of the seven tea producing regions have significant influences on the characteristics of teas they produce. Despite its uniqueness, Ceylon Tea does not have protection to uphold and to authenticate the quality reputation of the product, the ministry said, pointing out that counterfeit Ceylon Tea is sold in various
consumer countries.